As soon as Park Jin-hyuk returned to the company, Deputy Manager Hyun came rushing up to him.
“Director. I got the message through Secretary Kim. Is it true you gave orders to purchase this area?”
Park Jin-hyuk glanced down at the map Hyun was holding out, then nodded.
“That’s right. Buy up this entire district. We’re just holding onto it for a while, so there’s no need to drive up the price by being too aggressive. Just offer about 10% over the market price to those who want to sell—you’ll see, most of them will take it.”
“This place is designated as a greenbelt. Besides, it’s mostly farmland and forest. There aren’t many residential lots at all. If we buy land like this, it could cause us trouble during the audit. Director, this is dangerous business.”
“Dangerous? Why so serious? You’re scaring me.”
Park Jin-hyuk couldn’t suppress a smile even as he looked at Deputy Manager Hyun’s grave expression.
He was in an exceptionally good mood right now.
He’d always thought it would be nice to dabble in real estate with a good eye for value, but now, he was seeing that it could actually be done.
Not knowing what was going through Park Jin-hyuk’s mind, Hyun let out a sigh at the sight of him smiling so broadly.
“This could easily be considered a breach of duty.”
“A breach of duty? We’re not hurting the company, so what’s the issue?”
“Director, did you not hear what I said? This area is tied up as a greenbelt.”
“I know. That’s why the land is so cheap, isn’t it? Plus, it’s farmland, which makes it even cheaper. I’m well aware.”
“If you know that, how can you say this? When you said I could execute one hundred billion won before the audit, that means the money has to be back before the audit. If the funds are stuck here, there’s no way to explain it when we’re audited.”
Park Jin-hyuk watched Hyun’s increasingly anxious expression, almost as if enjoying it.
He pulled out a cigarette, put it to his lips, and spoke.
“The announcement for the new town development is in two months, right? Don’t worry. At the earliest, one month? At the latest, a month and a half? It’ll all be taken care of by then.”
“What? The announcement is in two months, but you say it’ll be handled in one month at the earliest?”
“Yes. Just don’t worry, and as you’re buying, don’t bother hiding the fact that we’re purchasing land. If you hide it, wouldn’t it be harder for people to come looking for us?”
Seeing Park Jin-hyuk speak so calmly, Hyun found himself naturally calming down as well.
He had rushed over, thinking this reckless fellow was about to cause a disaster, but now Park Jin-hyuk seemed to see through everything.
He started to feel ashamed of how flustered he had been.
Seeing that Hyun was settling down, Park Jin-hyuk grinned.
“Deputy Manager Hyun, you’re quite impatient. Well, is there a single Korean who isn’t?”
“Director, could you explain more in detail? I’ll be honest—I can’t keep up with you. At least tell me what you’re thinking, so I won’t be as surprised.”
Park Jin-hyuk watched Hyun’s almost capitulating expression with a smile.
He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray before continuing.
“There isn’t a place in the market that doesn’t know our situation. They all know we’re not in a position to participate in the new town development project.”
“That’s true. Everyone knows.”
“But what if we’re holding land? What do you think they’d make of it? They’ll think we’re crazy. A company with no capacity for development holding onto land. So, what would you do, Deputy Manager?”
Hyun thought for a moment, eyes darting, then replied.
“I’d probably ask you to sell it to me. Since holding onto it would be pointless.”
“Exactly. They’ll tell us to sell. Probably swarm us like bees. Why? Because they know that even if we have the land, we can’t develop it.”
“So that’s why you said to spread the word that we’re buying land. Other companies need to know for them to think this way.”
“Correct. Sometimes, it’s better if others don’t know, but this time, the more people know, the better for us. So let everyone know that DS Construction is buying up land, even though we have no capacity to develop the new town.”
Hyun nodded, signaling that he understood what Park Jin-hyuk meant.
He turned to leave the office, but paused and asked Park Jin-hyuk,
“But… are you certain this area will become the new town development zone?”
“I’m certain. Trust me. And if you can’t trust me, then at least trust the choice you made when you chose to follow me.”
Hyun gazed silently at Park Jin-hyuk for a moment, then smiled.
“Understood. I’ll trust you as you say.”
He opened the door and left the president’s office.
*****
To the average person, one hundred billion won is a sum so vast they couldn’t touch it even if they came back to life after dying, but Park Jin-hyuk was freshly reminded that, for a company, it could be nothing at all.
It had only been half a month since he ordered the land purchases, and already the one hundred billion had melted away like spring snow.
“This section through here has all been acquired. At first, I thought we’d have to offer above market price, but it turned out we were able to buy at market value.”
“Was there any resistance from the residents?”
“On the contrary, they were pleased. The area has been restricted as greenbelt for so long that it’s been tough to make any transactions. Once we stepped in to buy, people started coming to us, asking us to buy their land, too. So, instead of having to run around, we just sat and met the sellers as they came.”
“Is that so?”
Park Jin-hyuk nodded as Hong Myung-jin finished his explanation.
Hong Myung-jin switched off the pointer he’d been using on the map and turned to Park Jin-hyuk.
“We’ve now put all of DS Construction’s available cash into these acquisitions. I think it’s time to stop buying—is that okay?”
“Good work. Now that the net is cast, all we have to do is wait for the fish to come in.”
Park Jin-hyuk leaned back in his chair, spinning a pen in his fingers.
Just as he’d expected, it wasn’t long after DS Construction started acquiring land that schools of fish started to swarm toward the net.
“We’ve received a request from Hyunwoo Industrial Development—they’d like to meet with you, Director.”
“Hyunwoo Industrial Development? Wasn’t it Myungseong Group that contacted us yesterday?”
“Yes. Myungseong Group called again today, asking when you’ll be available in your office.”
“Why are they asking about my schedule?”
“They said they want to visit you in person.”
“Seriously? Why do they want to come here? If it was a pretty lady, maybe I’d consider, but it’ll just be a bunch of old men with gray hair, right? Forget it. Tell them I’m out of the country on business.”
Park Jin-hyuk chuckled at Secretary Kim’s report.
But Secretary Kim continued with his report, not cracking a smile.
“And Gukji Construction seems to have contacted the main office.”
“The main office? What’s that about?”
“It looks like Gukji Construction put in a request to group headquarters. So, headquarters sent an inquiry asking what we plan to do with the land acquired in OO district.”
“From headquarters? Who at headquarters is asking? Who’s getting a kickback from Gukji and tossing out questions like that?”
“Executive Bae from headquarters called.”
“Executive Bae? Secretary Kim, remember that name. He’s in Gukji Group’s pocket.”
“Yes, understood.”
Park Jin-hyuk sat listening to Secretary Kim’s report, holding an unlit cigarette.
Even though the official new town announcement hadn’t come out, all the construction companies seemed to have gotten wind of things, and now DS Construction was getting contacted several times a day.
Some came through formal channels, others, like Gukji Construction, through personal relationships or contacts within the company.
Knowing he hadn’t caught the big fish yet, Park Jin-hyuk left the net in the water.
Secretary Kim finished his report and left the president’s office.
Once Kim was gone, Park Jin-hyuk lit the cigarette he’d been holding.
As he looked out through the office’s glass window at Dosan-daero, his phone began to ring.
Rrrring.
When Park Jin-hyuk walked over with the cigarette in his mouth, the caller’s name was clearly displayed.
[Dongjeong Industries Secretary’s Office]
Realizing the big fish was finally nibbling, Park Jin-hyuk quickly put out his cigarette and answered the call.
“This is Park Jin-hyuk.”
“Yes, Director. This is Dongjeong Industries. The Chairman would like to meet with you—could you spare some time to come to our company?”
“The Chairman? Which Chairman do you mean?”
“Chairman Lee Sun-myung, your aunt, would like to see you.”
Park Jin-hyuk’s excitement vanished when he realized it wasn’t who he’d been hoping for.
“No, thank you. Please tell her I’m busy. And in the future, don’t contact me personally for business matters—go through my secretary, properly. What, does she think she’s such a big deal that she doesn’t even make the call herself but gets her secretary to call me directly? Tell Chairman Lee this: if she wants to call as my aunt, she should pick up the phone herself, not go through her secretary.”
There was only silence on the other end, as if they hadn’t expected this reaction.
Park Jin-hyuk hung up first.
“Does she think just because she’s my aunt, she can boss me around? If someone wants something, they should be the one coming.”
Disappointment replaced the anticipation, leaving Park Jin-hyuk feeling even emptier as he glared at the phone.
The bait had been nibbled at, but the float hadn’t gone under yet—it was frustrating.
“Tch. If they don’t want it, fine. I have my own plans.”
He told himself that Dongjeong Industries wasn’t the only way.
He remembered how, in his days under Yoo Jeong-geol, he’d always had a Plan B, Plan C, all the way to Plan Z when trying to break into new accounts.
The month since the purchases had not passed idly.
Just as Park Jin-hyuk was wondering where else he could target if not Dongjeong Industries, Secretary Kim came into the office.
“Director. Chairman Lee of Dongjeong Industries says she’s coming here.”
“What… Chairman Lee Sun-myung?”
“Yes. She says she knows you’re in the office and will come in person.”
“What’s she coming for?”
He already knew the reason, but he was curious what excuse she’d give.
“She said she wants to have a personal conversation with you.”
“A personal one? Since when are we close enough for that?”
It was clear that, by not using business as an excuse and asking to meet personally, she wanted to assert her familial relationship.
The childishness of her intent made Park Jin-hyuk smile.
“What should I do?”
“Well, if she’s coming herself, there’s no reason to stop her. Let her come.”
Park Jin-hyuk realized that Dongjeong Industries was more desperate than he was.
He instructed them to prepare to receive Lee Sun-myung, then sat back, leisurely smoking as he waited.
About two hours later, a convoy of cars pulled up at DS Construction.
“What’s with the parade? Why bring so many people?”
Park Jin-hyuk looked down through the window as six black cars rolled in.
It might be normal for a conglomerate chairwoman, but to his eyes, it didn’t look good.
Men and women in black suits poured out of the cars and filed into the building.
“Director. She’s arrived.”
“Just greet her casually. She said she’s coming as an aunt to see her nephew, but bringing a crowd like this makes it clear she’s not here as family. Have the rest of her entourage wait downstairs, and only let the aunt in.”
Secretary Kim got the message and went out.
After a short commotion outside, things calmed down, and the door opened. Only Lee Sun-myung and her secretary entered, offering a polite greeting.
“Director. Chairman Lee of Dongjeong Industries is here.”
“Well, look who it is—my eldest nephew! Goodness, you look so bright from outside.”
The Lee Sun-myung who had looked ready to devour him in Seongbuk-dong now wore a friendly smile and came forward as if to embrace him.
Park Jin-hyuk stepped back to avoid her arms and spoke.
“Auntie, you look different outside of home, too. Please, have a seat—right there. Is that your secretary? I think she’d be better off waiting outside. Secretary Kim, please show her out.”
Lee Sun-myung hesitated, awkwardly lowering her arms, then tugged at her secretary.
“I’d like to have my secretary here as well.”
“Auntie, let’s talk just the two of us. With others here, it’s hard to have an honest conversation. Secretary Kim, please see her out.”
As Secretary Kim led the middle-aged woman out, Lee Sun-myung looked after her with a wistful gaze.
Like a fledgling sorry to see its mother leave, it was clear to Park Jin-hyuk just how much Lee Sun-myung relied on her secretary.
“Please, have a seat.”
He invited her to sit, then got straight to the point.
“What brings you here? Are you interested in our land, too?”
She seemed momentarily flustered, perhaps not expecting to get straight to business. She opened a file her secretary had handed her before leaving.
She’d come unprepared, but Park Jin-hyuk just smirked and let her go about things her way.
After all, this meeting was little more than a formality before hauling in the big fish.
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